Niharika Chouksey: "I Keep My Character and My Social Media Completely Separate"

Niharika Chouksey has never been someone to play it safe. Whether it was portraying a transgender character in Aaina or stepping into a love story marked by an age gap in Tumm Se Tumm Tak, she has consistently chosen roles that invite conversation, and sometimes controversy. In her current show, she plays Anu, a young woman who falls for an older man, a premise that raised eyebrows before it even aired. But controversy, she says, has a way of turning into connection.

She said, "I have always played different kinds of characters that have always been controversial, be it in Aaina, Faltu, or Tumm Se Tumm Tak. When the promo of Faltu came out, everyone was asking why the show had that name. In Aaina, I was playing a transgender character, and in Tumm Se Tumm Tak, things were controversial because of the age gap. I am very thankful that each of my shows has received so much love and acceptance from the audience."

The role in Aaina was a particular kind of challenge, one that required more than performance. It required proximity and understanding. She said, "I was very excited for Aaina because I was getting to play something different, and you come across very rare and unique concepts on television. When I played that character, people started calling me Kinnar in my comment section. Playing that character made me realise how much this community has to face, and how little acceptance still exists."

"On the sets of Aaina, we used to have real transgender people on set, and I used to spend time with them and learn about them. As an actor, this is the beauty of the craft: as Niharika, I can play so many characters and get to truly live them," she added.

Her chemistry with co-star Sharad Kelkar has been one of the talking points around Tumm Se Tumm Tak, and she says the ease on screen came from comfort built off it. She said, "Honestly, our bond was formed on day one itself. We have a very good friendship, comfort, and understanding between us, and that reflects on screen. I never felt intimidated because I am very confident in my craft, and Sharad sir never made me feel like a junior. All of us work as a team."

That comfort extended even to the romantic scenes, something that could have felt awkward given that she grew up watching his work. She said, "I had seen Tanhaji and a lot of his other work, and he has portrayed all his roles so well. No, there is no awkwardness at all."

"Sharad sir, our director, and I share such a lovely bond that things go smoothly and comfortably. Sharad sir sometimes guides me, and sometimes I share my ideas with him. We have a beautiful bond, and because of that comfort, people love Anu and Arya," she added.

Off screen, Niharika is just as deliberate about holding onto herself. The scrutiny that comes with playing a beloved character, and the social media noise that follows, is something she has learned to keep at arm's length. She said, "Every actress goes through that. Heroines are portrayed in a certain typical way on television, so people find it hard to accept Niharika."

"I really do not care about trolling. I cannot lose my identity while playing Anu, so I keep my character and my social media completely separate. Initially it affected me, and I used to wonder why people had a problem with it and why they judge and troll so much. Then I thought about it from their perspective, and realised they are not used to seeing me as myself, because they see Anu every day," she added.

She has since made her peace with it entirely. She said, "I have stopped paying attention to it. I do not care what people comment or how they troll, and I feel my fans tackle such comments on my behalf. More than trolls, I receive double the love."

The distinction between Anu and Niharika is one she actively maintains, and one she wants her audience to see. "On Instagram, I post both as Anu and as Niharika, and I show my personality through vlogs, reels, stories, and posts. Niharika has a different personality than Anu. I am not Anu in real life, and I make sure that people get to know Niharika just as they know Anu," Niharika ended.